FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED FOR $440,000 WAL-MART RCL WALLEYE LEAGUE
BENTON, Ky. (December 23, 2003) =AD The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League, fresh=
off its highly successful inaugural season, will return in 2004 with a=
$440,000 payout. The tournament series, which is designed for weekend=
walleye anglers, will feature 12 regular-season events in four divisions=
followed by the $100,000 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League Finals Sept. 2-4 on=
Bays de Noc in Escanaba, Mich.
The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League=92s four divisions =AD Michigan,=
Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin =ADhost three regular-season events=
each, with two one-day qualifiers and one two-day Super Tournament. Anglers=
will compete for as much as $25,955 at the one-day qualifiers, with as much=
as $4,000 awarded to the winning boater. Boaters can earn as much as $3,500=
for the win as well as a $500 bonus if they are a registered owner of a=
Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat. Winning co-anglers can earn as much as=
$2,000, which includes a $250 bonus if they meet Ranger, Crestliner or Lund=
contingency guidelines.
Super Tournaments feature a $34,945 purse with as much as $5,250 going to=
the winning boater, including a $750 bonus if the winner is a Ranger,=
Crestliner or Lund owner. Super Tournaments will award the winning=
co-angler as much as $2,625, including a $375 bonus for qualifying Ranger,=
Crestliner or Lund owners.
Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points,=
with 200 points going to the winner, 199 for second, 198 for third, and so=
on. In Super Tournaments, 300 points are awarded to the winner, 299 for=
second, 298 for third, and so on. These points determine angler standings.=
The top 25 boaters and top 25 co-anglers from each RCL League division=
advance to the $100,000 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League Finals, where boaters=
will compete for an Evinrude- or Yamaha-powered Ranger, Crestliner or Lund=
boat and trailer. The winning co-angler will also earn a Ranger, Crestliner=
or Lund boat and trailer.
During the season, winning boaters can also earn a $1,000 bonus from=
Garmin at each tournament if they use only Garmin electronics and at least=
one unit is a qualifying Garmin Fishfinder or GPS/sounder.=20
The top five boaters and co-anglers in each division can also earn a=
ticket to the $1.4 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Championship if they are=
Ranger, Crestliner or Lund boat owners. At the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye=
Championship, the winning boater can earn as much as $400,000 cash and the=
winning co-angler can earn as much as $150,000 cash.
One hundred boaters and 100 co-anglers comprise a full field in RCL=
League competition, with entry fees remaining at $150 for boaters and $75=
for co-anglers. Super Tournament entry fees also remain the same at $200=
for boaters and $100 for co-anglers. For Ranger, Crestliner or Lund owners,=
entries will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. CST Jan. 19. For Champion and=
Stratos owners, entries will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. CST Jan. 22.=
All other entries will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. CST Jan. 26. Entries=
will be accepted online at FLWOutdoors.com or by phone at (270) 252-1000 no=
earlier than the dates listed above.
Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League boaters and co-anglers fish together for a=
combined boat weight, with boaters competing against other boaters and=
co-anglers fishing against other co-anglers. The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye=
League meets the needs of America=92s fishing masses by providing=
professionally administered, close-to-home, affordable weekend events with=
lucrative cash purses.
The Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League is administered by FLW Outdoors, the=
world=92s leading marketer of competitive fishing. Other FLW=
Outdoors-sanctioned tournament trails include the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye=
Tour, the world=92s most lucrative walleye-fishing series; the Wal-Mart FLW=
Tour, the world=92s most lucrative bass-fishing series; the EverStart=
Series, designed as a pathway to the FLW Tour; the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing=
League for weekend anglers; and the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail.
Wal-Mart and many of America=92s most respected companies support FLW=
Outdoors and its six tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor=
of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors=
and for more information about the premier products and services they=
offer, please visit FLWOutdoors.com.
2004 Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League Schedule
Michigan Division
Detroit River =AD April 24
Houghton Lake =AD June 5
Saginaw Bay =AD July 31-Aug. 1
Minnesota Division
Big Stone Lake =AD May 15
Mille Lacs =AD June 26
Leech Lake =AD July 24-25
South Dakota Division
Lake Oahe (Mobridge) =AD May 8
Big Stone Lake =AD June 12
Lake Oahe (Pierre) =AD July 17-18
Wisconsin Division
Petenwell Lake =AD April 17
Green Bay =AD May 22
Lake Winnebago =AD July 10-11
Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League Finals
Bays de Noc (Escanaba, Mich.) =AD Sept. 2-4
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